Device for coaling and watering locomotives.



V. RAlNER.

DEVICE FOR UOALING AND WATERING LOCOMOTIVES.

APPLICATION FILED JANJB, 1913.

1,084,481 Patented Jan. 13, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

. WOW

COLUMBIA mnoauvn 00.,IASHINO'I'0N, D. c.

v. RAINER.

DEVIOE FOR OOALING AND WATBRING LOCOMOTIVES.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 18, 1913.

1 084 481 I Patented Jan. 13, 1914,

4 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

mI-IIIIA WA?" zoqvlumm, D. c

- V. RAINER.

DEVICE FOR OOALING AND WATERING LOCOMOTIVES.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN.1B, 1913.

1,084,481. Patented Jan. 13, 1914.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

7i? vi Zia/ch62:

v. RAINER. DEVICE FOR GOALING AND WATERING LOCOMOTIVES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 18, 1913.

Patented Jan. 13, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

VIRGIL RAINER, OF OAK HILL, OHIO.

DEVICE FOR GOALING AND WATERING- LOCOMOTIVES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 13, 1914.

Application filed January 18, 1913. Serial No. 742,884.

To all whom it may-concern:

Be it known that I, VIRGIL R u vnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oak Hill, in the county of Jackson and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Devices for Coaling and atering Locomotives, of which the following is a specification.

This invent-ion relates to a device for coaling and watering railway locomotives while in motion, and has for an object to provide a device of this character which will operate efficiently and positively irrespective of the exact speed of the locomotive, being adapted to supply a locomotive moving at a very high rate of speed just as well as a slow moving one. In accomplishing this object, a portable bin is positioned above the railroad track at the desired point upon an overhead suspension track-way, which bin is adapted to contain both coal and water, which it will supply to the tender of the lo comotive when the latter is directly beneath the bin, and train actuating means provided in suitable proximity to the railroad track' for propelling the said bin along its supported track-way upon the approach of the 10- comotive and adapted to accelerate the motion of the bin so as to bring it up to the same speed as the locomotive at the instant that the latter overtakes the bin and comes into operative engagement therewith.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character set forth, a train-carried actuating device, positioned preferably at some convenient point on the locomotive, which is adapted to be set in operative position for engagement with the bin propulsion device, when it is desired that the supply of water and coal of the locomotive be replenished, this actuating device being maintained normally in inoperative position so as not to causeunnecessary operation of the coaling and watering device.

Another object is to provide an operating attachmentcarried by the locomotive, and positioned preferably upon its tender, which may be thrown into operative position prior to the time that the locomotive tender overtakes the bin so as to engage the bin to maintain the same in proper relation to the tender and which will, at the same time, cause operation of the necessary doors and valves provided upon the bin and tender to afford the proper communication therebetween.

A still further object is the provision of a manually controlled brake mechanism for retarding the motion of the portable bin after the coaling and watering operation has been completed.

The invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, herelnafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accom panying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of the railroad track and the coaling and watering device, showing'the portable bin in motion prior to its being overtaken by the locomotive of the train; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the bin in operative engagement with the tender of the locomo tive; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device in the position shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal, vertical sectional view through the tender and movable bin when connected as shown in Fig. 2, the bin closure being shown in closed position; Fig. 5 is a similar sectional, view showing the bin closure in open position; Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken through the device as shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary front elevation of the trestle, showing the securing means for the bin; Fig. 8 is a vertical, longitudinal section throu h a portion of the tender; Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the track brake device for the movable bin; and Fig. 10 is a horizontal section taken through a portion of the tender.

Inca-rrying out the general principle of the invention, as shown in the accompanying drawings, I have provided a suspension track-way or trestle 1, which is positioned above t-herailroad track 2 in vertical alinement therewith upon suitable supports 1 This trestle includes parallel, horizontally spaced track members 3, each of which comprises a lower supporting rail 4 and an upper guard rail 5. The opposite end portions of the trestle are inclined upwardly to provide starting portions 6 and 7 for a purpose which will be more fully described hereinafter.

A portable bin 8 is suspended from a truck 9, whose flanged side wheels 10 are mounted between the spaced supporting and guard rails of the corresponding track memhere, the bin 8 being thus mounted for longitudinal movement beneath the trestle above the railroad track, along which the trains pass, in Suitable proximity thereto.

The bin proper is preferably rectangular in shape and is provided with a dividing partition wall 11, which separates the bin into a coal compartment 12 and a water compartment 13, both compartments being open at their lower end. A vertically movable closure plate, or door 14, is hinged to.

the lower edge of the rear wall 15 of the bin as at 16, and is adapted to close the lower open ends of the compartments 12 and 13 when in closed position. This door 14: is adapted to gravitate into its depending open position against the action of the counterbalancing weight 17 formed on the rear ed e thereof, but is adapted to be secured in its uppermost closed position by the pivoted locking members 18 mounted upon the front wall 19 of the bin at the lower edge thereof, and provided with securing fingers 20 for engagement beneath the front edge of the door. These fingers 20 have their under faces beveled as at 21, so that engagement of the front edge of the door therewith, during its movement into closed position, will cause the locking members to be tripped so as to permit the door to become completely closed, whereupon the securing fingers 20 of the locking members will again assume their locking position, as caused by means which will be presently described; An operating lever 22 is pivoted as at 23 to the rear wall 15 of the bin adj acentthe lower edge thereof and is operatively connected with its corresponding locking member upon the front of the bin by means of a connecting rod 241:. Each operating lever 22 has its lower arm 25 projecting beneath the bin for a suitable distance and inclined forwardly so that it will be in suitable proximity for engagement with a train carried trip member, which will be set forth in detail hereinafter. A suitable spring 22 is connected to the lever 22 so as to maintain the same normally in operative position.

The lower open end of the water compartment 13 of the bin 8 is provided with an internal flange 26 which is adapted for limiting engagement with the shoulder 27 formed adjacent the lower end of a hollow extension member 28, which is mounted within the compartment 13 for vertical sliding movement, when the said member is in its lowermost extended position. The lower end of the member 28 is provided with a reduced portion 29 having a curved end face 30 for permanent engagement with a hollow abutment 31 attached to the upper face of the door 19: for reception within the opening in the water compartment. The member 28 is adapted to support the water within the upper portion of the compartment 13 and has an opening 32 in the lower end of its reduced portion 29, which is maintained in communication with the mouth 33 provided in the downwardly projecting neck 34: of the abutment 31, which neck projects through an opening 35 in the door, by means of a collapsible tube 36 which extends through an opening 37 in the top wall of the said abutment 31. A hinged valve 38 is mounted within the neck 3 1 of the abutment, and is adapted for engagement with an operating member 39 to be described more fully hereinaft-er. It will thus be seen, that upon the release of the door 14, the member 28 will sink with the door, so as to maintain the proper engagement of its active face 30 with the abutment 31, which latter serves further as a protective casing for the collapsible tube 36.

The lower end or mouth of the coal. compartment 12 in the bin is provided with an internally tapered flange 41, which is adapted to choke the discharge of the coal to prevent scattering of the same as it is discharged into the locomotive tender, when coaling the same.

In order to provide means for securing the bin 8 at the head of the inclined starting portion 6 of the trestle, I have provided a locking member e2, which is pivoted as at 43 to the support 1 at each side of the trestle. Each locking member has its inner end upturned as at 4A to provide an engaging extremity which is adapted normally to retain its engagement with the out-turned bill of one of the hooks l5 provided upon the bin supporting truck 9 at the rear end thereof. The opposite end of each member 12 is connected by means of a vertically extending connecting rod 46 to the horizontal arm 17 of a bell crank 48, which is pivoted preferably as at 19 to one of the cross ties 50 of the track 2. The vertical arm 51 of each bell crank 48 is connected by means of a horizontal connecting rod 52, which extends longitudinally with respect to the track 2 for a suitable distance, with a depending crank arm 53 which is fixedly secured to a rotatable shaft 54:, which latter extends transversely with respect to the track 2 and 115 is journaled in suitable bearings 55 mounted upon one of the cross ties 50 at a point in advance of the bell crank 18 (with respect to the direction of travel of the trains). An operating arm 56 is secured to the shaft 54 120 at a suitable point, preferably between the track rails and is inclined upwardly and forwardly for engagement by a train-carried trip device which will be described fully hereinafter.

The tender 57 of each locomotive is provided with a pair of relatively spaced, vertically movable trip members 58 within the vertical guides 59 attached to the exterior face of its rear wall 60. A horizontal shaft i the trip members 58, the extension 77 of the 1 61 is mounted within suitable bearings 62 upon the rear wall 60 in suitable proximity to the guides 59. A toothed pinion 63 is attached to the shaft 61 adjacent each end thereof for engagement with a toothed rack 64 provided upon the outer face of the adj acent trip member. One end of this shaft 61 is provided with a beveled gear 65 intermeshing with the beveled gear 66 provided upon the rear end of a longitudinally extending operating shaft 67 mounted rotatably within bearings 68 attached to the eX- terior face of one side wall 69 of the tender. A crank 70 is attached to the forward end of the shaft 67 to provide means for the manual operation of the shaft, and a releasable ratchet device 71 is provided adjacent this crank 70, so that the shaft 67 will be automatically looked after its operation in moving the trip members 58 into their uppermost operative position. The trip members 58 are each provided with a rearwardly and upwardly inclined engaging.

portion 72 upon the upper end thereof for engagement with the inclined arm 25 of the corresponding operating lever 22 upon the portable bin 8, to cause tripping of the looking members 18 through the medium of the respective connecting rods 24, upon the said bin becoming operatively associated with the tender.

An intermediate, vertically movable engaging member 73 is mounted within suit able guides 74 upon the exterior face of the rear wall 60 of the tender, and is provided with a toothed rack 75 for engagement by a pinion 76 carried by the shaft 61, so that the said member is thrown into its uppermost operative position simultaneously with the movement of the members 58. The upper extremity of the engaging member 73 is provided with an upwardly and rearwardly inclined extension 77 adapted for engagement with the beveled active face 78 of a depending enlargement 79 provided upon the under face of the bin door 14 adjacent the rear hinged edge thereof in the path of movement of the said extension of the engaging member 73. The engaging member extension 77 serves as means for effecting the closing of the bin door, after the coaling and watering operation has been completed, and the operator upon the locomotive tender has operated the crank 70 so as to lower the engaging portions 72 of the trip members 58 out of engagement with the operating levers 22 and the adjacent edge of the bin, it being understood that the trip members 58 extend higher than the engaging member 73 and that the extension 77 upon the latter is longer" than the engaging portions 72 of the said trip members. As soon as the bin is released from the tender, due to the depression of engaging'member 73 will act against the active face 78 of the enlargement 79 on the bin door as the tender passes beneath the bin to force the bin door upwardly into engagement with the locking members 18.

A flared hopper 80 is provided upon the water tank 81 of the tender 57 and has a receiving mouth 82 for registration with the discharge mouth 33 of the abut-ment 31 carried by the bin door, when the said door is in its open position, so that the water carried by the compartment 13 of the bin maybe discharged readily into the tank 81, after the upwardly projecting operating member 39 has become engaged with the bin valve 39 soas to swing the same upwardly into open position and when the horizontally slidable valve 83 mounted within a guideway 84; in the hopper 80 is in open position with its vertical opening 85 in registration with the said mouth 82. This valve is opened when the engaging member 73 is thrown into its elevated operative position, due to the engagement of the downwardly and rearwardly inclined active face 86 of an enlargement 87 provided upon the outer face of the said member 73 with the cross portion 88 of a rearwardly extending yoke 89 attached to the rear end of the valve 83. The valve is automatically closed, upon depression of the member 73, by ahelical spring 90 surrounding the protruding forward end 91 of the valve member 83 in interposed relation to the shoulder 92 formed on the said valve member and the tapered lug 93 mounted upon the attaching flange 94 of the hopper in spaced relation to the body portion thereof. Upon the rear wall 60 of the locomotive tender, I have provided another trip member 95 which is vertically movable within the guides 96, and which is adapted to be depressed upon elevation of the trip members 58, due to the engagement between its ofiset rack 97 with a pinion 98 secured to the shaft 61. This trip member 95 is provided upon its lower end with a downwardly and real-wardly inclined engaging extension 99 which is adapted to engage the operating arm 56 provided upon the track trip apparatus, to effect the release of the bin upon approach of the train so that the said bin will have time to attain a considerable speed before the locomotive enters beneath the trestle.

In order to prevent excessive shock between the tender-carried trip members and the bin, I have provided mechanism for causing the bin to be propelled by the train itself, after the latter has arrived in suitable proximity to the bin, which propulsion means serves to accelerate the speed of the traveling bin so as to cause the bin to approximate the speed of the tender at the instant it comes into engagement with the trip members carried by the latter. This pr pulsion means includes, essentially, a frame 100 provided in connection wit-h the trestle supports 1 at one side of the track 2, an

sprocket wheels 102 journaled in the frame so that the said chain is disposed parallel to the trestle and coextensive therewith, a plurality of alined power units 103 positioned upon the frame in close proximity to the track and being equidistant therefrom, a clutch mechanism 10% provided in connection with each power unit for connecting the units successively with the endless chain upon successive operation of the power units, the said clutch mechanisms being collectively differential, so that the speed of the endless chain will be accelerated during movement of the power units, and an actuat-g ing member 105 mounted within a guide. bracket 106 upon the rear wall of the tenderi in alinement with the shaft 61 and having ai threaded opening 107 for the reception of the threaded end 108 of the said shaft, the

said actuating member being adapted to be forced laterally from the side of the tender into operative position when the trip meInbers carried by the tender are thrown into:

operative position, for engagement with thepower units. Each power unit 103 includes a pair of sprocket wheels 109, which are:

mounted in longitudinally spaced relation adjacent the track upon the laterally slidable bearing brackets 110 which are normall extended toward the track by the contractile springs 111, a third sprocket wheel 112 journaled in a laterally slidable bracket 113 disposed in spaced relation to the brackets 110 and having a contractile spring 114 opposing the action of the springs 111, and an operating endless chain mounted upon the said sprocket wheels and provided with a plurality of laterally spaced lugs 115 upon its outer face for engagement by the actuating member 105. The sprocket wheel 112 of each power unit is connected fixedly to one of the elements 116'of its companion clutch mechanism, so as to be movable with the said sprocket wheel upon outward move mentof the element as caused by the engagement of the train-carried actuating member 105 with the power unit into operative relation to the coaling element, or elements 117 of the clutch mechanism. Each clutch mechanism may be of the friction type or of any other suitable form, it being understood that the element 117 is permanently connected with the endless chain 101 through the medium of a sprocket wheel 118, whereas the element 116 is normally out of engagement with the member 117.

As the portable bin will have attained enormous speed during its operation, it is necessary to provide means for checking its speed before it has reached the end of the trestle. For the accomplishment of this result, I have provided a plurality of pivoted brake blocks 119 upon the guard rails 5 of the trestle in its inclined portion 7. These blocks are arranged in spaced relation so as to impart successlve braking lmpulses to the wheels 10 of the bin during its movement up the inclined portion 7. These blocks 119 are each provided with a vert-ical pin 120 which is movable within the slotted arm 121 of a ball crank 122 pivoted to the corresponding reinforcing enlargement 123 provided upon the guard rail 5 to which the said block is attached. The opposite, operating arms 124: are connected to the adjacent operating rod 125, which extends longitudinally along the trestle and is adapted to be thrown into either operative or inoperative position by any source of power convenient at the coaling station, this source of power not being shown.

In the operation of a coaling and watering device constructed in accordance with the invention, the bin is filled with coal and water preferably just prior to the approach of a train, which the operator at the coaling station knows will need to have its supply of coal and water replenished, this coal and water being stored within a building where there will be no danger of the water becoming frozen. As the train approaches the coaling station, the fireman of the locomotive, or any other attendant, will, in case'it is desired that coal and water be taken on, operate the crank 7 0 so as to throw the trip devices and the actuating device carried by the locomotive tender into operative position. When the locomotive passes over the operating arm 56 of the bin tripping device, the engaging extension 89 of the trip member 95 will engage the said arm to cause the release of the bin, which latter will gravitate down the inclined portion 6 of the trestle toward the vertical portion thereof. As the train approaches closer, the actuating member 105 upon the tender,rit will come into engagement with the first power unit, thus causing the said unit to move into engagement with the corresponding clutch mechanism, whereupon the bin will be forced ahead without shock at a. slightly greater rate of speed. Then the actuating member 105 will pass this first power unit and will engage with the next successive unit, thus causing the same to be brought into operative propelling relation to'the bin, through the medium of its companion clutch mechanism, to cause the speed of the bin to be accelerated to a certain degree. This oper ation will continue as the locomotive continues its progress past the successive power units, until, finally, the bin has attained approximately the same speed as the locomotive, whereupon engagement of the inclined portions 7 2 of the trip members 58 with the bin will be accomplished without damaging shock. The bin door will be automatically released upon the bin being brought in this position with respect to the locomotive tender, and the valves'provided upon the said door and the tender hopper will be opened so as to permit open communication between the water compartment of the bin and the tender tank. At the same time coal will be permitted to discharge into the coal bunker of the tender. As soon as the fireman sees that the coaling and watering operation has been completed, he releases the ratchet device 71 and operates the crank 71 to a certain extent so as to cause slight depression of the trip members 58 whereupon they will be releasedfrom engagement with the bin. This will cause the tender to pass out from under the bin, the engaging extension 77 of the member 73 at the same time serving to close the bin door. Further operation of the crank 7 0 will cause the actuating members on the tender to be restored to inoperative position and the hopper valve will likewise be closed.

The bin will continue to travel along the trestle at a high rate of speed until it reaches the incline 7 which will tend to retard its speed. It will also become engaged with the brake blocks, which must necessarily be set in operative position so that the bin will be brought to a stand still before it reaches the end of the trestle. The bin may then be re turned to its starting position at the upper end of the inclined portion 6 of the trestle, by any suitable source of power (not shown) which should be applied preferably to the endless chain 101.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that I have provided a coaling and watering device which will be particularly efiicient in its operation, and which will operate without becoming excessively worn or damaged, due to the absence of damaging shocks, generally attendant in the operation of such a device. It is to be understood, however, that any desired changes in the structural details of the device may be resorted to in carrying out the generic principle of the invention without departing from its scope.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a track and a locomotive tender movable thereon, of a suspension track-way disposed above the first-named track longitudinally with respect thereto, a portable bin mounted upon said suspension track-way, said bin having its lower end open, a hinged closure for said open end of the bin, means for securing said closure in its closed position, means provided upon the said. tender for engagement with the bin to secure the bin in operative relation to the tender, said means serving to trip the closure-securing means upon the bin, means upon said tender by which the said trip means may be moved into either operative or inoperative position, and means provided upon said tender for engagement with the said bin closure to operate the same into closed position u on movement of the said trip means out o engagement with the bin.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a track and a locomotive tender movable thereon, of a suspension track-way disposed above the first-named track longitudinally with respect thereto, a portable bin mounted upon said suspension track-way, said bin having its lower end open, a hinged closure for said open end of the bin, means for securing said closure in its closed position, means provided upon the said tender for engagement with the bin to secure the bin in operative relation to the tender, said means serving to trip the closure-securing means upon the bin, means upon said tender by which the said trip means may be moved into either operative or inoperative position, and an engaging member mounted upon the tender and having an inclined face for engagement with the bin closure for moving the same into closed position upon movement of the said tripping means out of engagement with the bin.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination with a railroad track and a locomotive tender movable thereon, of an overhead track-way disposed parallel to the said railroad track, a portable bin mounted for longitudinal movement upon said overhead track-way, said bin including coal and water compartments opening through the bottom of the bin, a hinged closure provided upon said bin and adapted to close the said compartments, said closure adapted to gravitate into depending open position and having a water discharge opening therein, a hollow extension member slidably mounted in the water compartment of the bin and adapted to support the water therein, means for establishing communication between said extension member and the discharge opening in the said closure when the closure is in its open position, and a hopper provided upon the said tender in communication with its water tank, the said hopper being adapted for engagement with the bin closure when the bin is in operative relation thereto, the said discharge opening in the binclosure being in registration with the said hopper in this position and the coal compartment of the bin being in alinement with the coal compartment of the tender.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with a railroad track and a locomotive tender movable thereon, of an overhead track-way disposed parallel to the said railroad track, a portable bin mounted for longitudinal movement upon said overhead track'way, said bin including coal and water compartments opening through the bottom of the bin, a hinged closure provided upon said bin and adapted to close the said compartments, said closure adapted to gravitate into depending open position and having a water discharge opening therein, a

hollow extension member slidably mounted in the water compartment of thebin and adapted to support the water therein, means for establishing communication between said extension memberv and the discharge opening in the said closure when the closureiis in its open position, a hopper provided upon the said tender in communication with its water tank, the said hopper being adapted for engagement with the bin closure when the bin is in operative relation thereto, the said discharge opening in the bin closure being in registration with the said hopper when inthis position and the coal compartment ot-the bin being in alinement with the coal compartment of the tender, and means provided upon thebin for securing the said closure in its uppermost closed position.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with a railroad track and a locomotive tender movable thereon, of an overhead track-way disposed parallel to the said railroad track, a portable .bin mounted for longitudinal movement upon said overhead track-way, said bin including coal and water compartments opening through the bottom of the bin, a hinged closure provided upon said bin and adapted to close the said compartments, said closure adapted to gravitate into depending open position and having a water discharge opening therein, a hollow extension member slidably mounted in the water. compartment of the bin and adapted to support the water therein, means for establishing communication between said extension member and thedischarge opening in the said closure when the closure is in its open position, a hopper provided upon the said tender in communication with its water tank, the said hopper being adapted for engagement with the bin closure when the bin is in operative relationthereto, the said discharge opening in the bin closure being in registration with the said hopper when in this position and the coal compartment of the bin being in alinement with the coal compartment of the tender,means provided upon the bin for, securing the said closure in its uppermost closed position, and resilient means for normally maintaining the closure securing means in operative position.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with a railroad track and a locomotive tender movable thereon, of an said railroad track, a portable bin mounted for longitudinal movement upon said overhead track-way, said bin including coal and water compartments opening through the bottom of the bin, a hinged closure provided upon said bin and adapted to close the said compartments, said closure adapted to gravitate into depending open position and having a water dischar e opening therein, ahollow extension mem er slidably mounted inthe-water compartment of the bin and adapted to support the water therein, means for establishing communication between said extension member and the discharge opening in the said closure when the closure is in its open position, a hopper provided upon the said tender in communication with its water tank, the said hopper being adapted for engagement with the bin closure when the. bin is in operative relation thereto, the said discharge opening in the bin closure being in registration with the said hopper when in this position and the coal compartment of the bin being in alinement with the coal compartment of the tender, means provided upon the bin for securing the a said closure in it uppermost closed position, resilient means for normally maintaining the closure securing means: in operative position, and a trip member provided upon the said tender and adapted to engage the said bin when in its operative relation with respect to the tender and to release the closuresecuring means.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination with a railroad track and a locomotive tender movable thereon, of an overhead track-way disposed parallel to the said railroad track, a portable bin mounted for longitudinal movement upon said overhead track-way, said bin including coal and water compartments opening through the bottom of the bin, a hinged closure provided upon said bin and adapted to close the said compartments, said closure adapted to gravitate into depending open position and having a water discharge opening therein, a hollow extension member slidably mounted in the water compartment of the bin and adapted to support thewater therein, means for establishing communication between said extension member and the discharge opening in the said closure when the closure is in its open position, a hopper provided upon the said tender in communication with its water tank, the said hopper being adapted for engagement with the bin closure when the bin is in operative relation thereto, the said discharge opening in the bin closure being in registration with the said hopper when in this position and the coal compartment of the bin being in alinement with the coal compartment of the tender, means provided upon the bin for securing the said closure in its uppermost closed position, resilient means for normally maintaining the closure securing means in operative position, a trip member provided upon the said tender and adapted to engage the said bin when in its operative relation with respect to the tender and to release the closure-securing means, and means for operating said trip member into its elevated operative position or into its depressed inoperative position.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination with a railroad track and a locomotive tender movable thereon, of an overhead track-way disposed parallel to the said railroad track, a portable bin mounted for longitudinal movement upon said overhead track-way, said bin including coal and water compartments opening through the bottom of the bin, a hinged closure provided upon said bin and adapted to close the said compartments, said closure adapted to gravitate into depending open position and having a water discharge opening therein, a holloW extension member slidably mounted in the water compartment of the bin and adapted to support the water therein, means for establishing communication between said extension member and the discharge opening in the said closure when the closure is in its position, a hopper provided upon the said tender in communication with its water tank, the said hopper being adapted for engagement with the bin closure when the bin is in operative relation thereto, the said discharge opening in the bin closure being in registration with the said hopper when in this position and the coal compartment of the bin being in alinement with the coal compartment of the tender, means provided upon the bin for securing the said closure in its uppermost closed position, resilient means for normally maintaining the closure-securing means in operative position, a trip member provided upon the said tender and adapted to engage the said bin when in its operative relation with respect to the tender and torelease the closure-securing means, means for operating said trip member into its elevated operative position or into its depressed inoperative position, and an engaging member carried by the tender and adapted for engagementwith the said bin closure to move the same into closed position upon depression of the trip member into inoperative position, said closure-securing means adapted to automatically lock the closure in closed position upon its movement thereinto.

9. In a device of the class described, the

combination with a railroad track and a locomotive tender movable thereon, of an overhead track way disposed parallel to the said railroad track, a portable bin mounted for longitudinal movement upon said overhead track-way, said bin including coal and water compartments opening through the bottom of the bin, a hinged closure provided upon said bin and adapted to close the said compartments, said closure adapted to gravitate into depending open position and having a water discharge opening therein, a hollow extension member slidably mounted in the water compartment of the bin and adapted to support the water therein, means for establishing communication between said extension member and the discharge opening in the said closure when the closure is in its open position, a hopper provided upon the said tender in communication with its water tank, the said hopper being adapted for engagement with the bin closure when the bin is in operative relation thereto, the said discharge opening in the bin closure being in registration with the said hopper when in this position and the coal compartment of the bin being in alinement with the coal compartment of the tender, and an abutment provided upon the inner face of the bin closure for engagement with the said extension member to move the same into its innermost position upon movement of the closure into closed position.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination with a railroa track and a locomotive tender movable thereon, of an overhead track-Way parallel to said railroad track, a portable bin mounted for movement on said overhead track-way, a plurality of power units disposed adjacent the railroad track and the bin-supporting track-way, a movable element connected to said bin, aclutch member adapted to connect each power unit with said movable element, the said clutch members being adapted to impart different individual speed vimpulses to the movable element upon successive operation of the power units, and means carried by the said tender for successive engagement with the power units tocause ope-ration of the same.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

R. S. LOUDEN, MILDRED Lnnns.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

